Double-Double 9-Shooter

The Taurus Tracker.22 LR And .22 WMR Convertible.

A double-action revolver convertible is not so simple. The cylinders do not ride on a simple base pin, like a single-action revolver, but a more complicated frame-fitted yoke with an integral cartridge extractor. Starting in the very early 1970s, High Standard offered a double-action sixgun with two cylinders. Sometime in the mid-1980s, the High Standard Double Nine series of revolvers ended production and we have been without a double-action .22/.22 Magnum for more than 25 years. The drought is now over thanks to Taurus.

When Taurus first arrived on the scene they were basically a South American country replicating American designs. For the past two decades or so, in many instances, they actually have been leading the way. For instance, they were the first company to offer a double-action sixgun chambered in .454 Casull and also the first to come up with a quality revolver chambering both the .45 Colt and the .410 shotgun shell. Over the years, they have offered dozens upon dozens of different versions of sixguns and semi-automatics. Almost all Taurus offerings are still manufactured in Brazil, however they are offered to the American shooting public by Taurus USA.

This latest Taurus sixgun is actually a 9-gun with two 9-shot cylinders chambered in .22 and .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum. Each cylinder is a complete unit with extractor and yoke fitted to the frame. On the bottom right-hand side of the frame just above the front of the triggerguard is a small, round, serrated button which when pushed in allows the easy removal of one cylinder and the replacement of the other. It takes less time to perform the operation than to explain it. Each cylinder is clearly marked as to its chambering.

The basic revolver is part of the Taurus Tracker series of revolvers and is nicely etched thusly on the left-hand side of the heavy underlug barrel. Above this inscription we find “.22 LR/.22 Magnum” while the right side of the barrel underlug is marked “Taurus.” Although this revolver is on their medium frame it still weighs in at just 3 ounces under 3 pounds. The heavy underlug barrel is 6-1/2″ in length, a 4″ version is also available, and the top of the barrel features a ventilated rib.

Sights are excellent. The front sight is ramp-style with a red insert while the white outline rear sight is fully adjustable and clearly marked “UP” and “R” for ease of adjustments for elevation and windage. Grips are the excellent Taurus rubber Ribber grips, which do such an excellent job of reducing felt recoil on their larger revolvers. In this case they simply offer a secure feeling to a rather heavy revolver. All in all this is a very attractive sixgun. The trigger is wide and smooth while the hammer is checkered for easy cocking. Both are case-hardened. The mainspring is quite heavy and the trigger pull is a little too heavy for my tastes at 5 pounds.

With iron sights the Tracker is certainly accurate enough for close-range varmint hunting. With the .22 LR cylinder both the Federal Classic HP and the Winchester Power Point HP at 1,175 fps shot exceptionally well with groups of 1″ and 3/4″ respectively. CCI’s Stingers come in at just under 1,400 fps and shoot into 1-1/4″. Switching to the Magnum cylinder results were best with the standard Winchester JHP and their new 28-grain JHP both placing eight shots in 1-1/8″ with muzzle velocities of 1,790 fps and 1,825 fps respectively. These results were obtained at 20 yards and this revolver just begs to be scoped. It shouldn’t be too hard to find scope mounts that would clamp to the ventilated rib.
By John Taffin